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Vandalia Municipal Court asks council for $149,584 supplemental to add staff, meet ADA web standard and replace furniture
Summary
Court staff told the Vandalia City Council at a May 4 study session they need $149,584 in supplemental appropriations for 2026 to add personnel (one deputy clerk, two part‑time bailiffs, a team lead), upgrade the court website for federal ADA compliance, and replace dated magistrate furniture; some councilors asked for a Supreme Court caseload study before approving staffing increases.
Miss Bradfield, speaking for the Vandalia Municipal Court, presented a supplemental request that she said aims to "restore operational capacity, improve efficiency, meet federal ADA website compliance, prioritize a safe environment, and position the court for long‑term sustainability." She asked the council to approve a 2026 supplemental totaling approximately $149,584 to cover personnel, a website upgrade, and office furnishings.
Bradfield said the personnel portion would cover one deputy clerk, two part‑time bailiffs and a promotion to a team lead, at a prorated personnel cost of $125,427 for the remainder of 2026. She described a CivicPlus website upgrade to meet federal ADA requirements (approximately $8,635) and replacement of worn magistrate office furniture (approximately $15,522), noting the totals together equal the $149,584 supplemental request.
Several council members asked questions about staffing justification and funding. "If we want to add people, add staff, I think I'd like to see that study done through the Supreme Court before we do that," a council member said, urging a Supreme Court caseload analysis to confirm appropriate staffing levels and identify potential outside funding sources. Bradfield and city staff said some of the original requests had already been reduced through negotiations with the manager's office and finance staff; Bradfield described the current package as a compromise arrived at after multiple meetings.
Council members also asked about timing for increasing court costs and whether the magistrate had completed required training; Bradfield said the magistrate had completed the first part of an administrative class earlier in the year and was scheduled for the second part the following week. The city manager's office told the council that a case‑load study from the Ohio Supreme Court is commonly used as a staffing guideline and could help identify long‑term funding options.
No formal vote was recorded during the study session; staff noted the supplemental ordinance would be presented as an emergency item at the regular council meeting later that night. Several councilors said they wanted the case‑load analysis and other documentation available before committing to support the full supplemental appropriation as an emergency measure.
